The Indian team has been knocked out of the Hockey World Cup after suffering a humiliating defeat against Argentina.
The Indian hockey team failed to live up to expectations in an important second-round pool match against Argentina, losing 5-3 and being eliminated from the tournament.
Argentina put the Indian defense under pressure from the very beginning, with Joaquin Toscani scoring in the first minute to give his team the lead. In the sixth minute, Nicolas Della Torre doubled Argentina’s advantage with a goal from a penalty corner.
For India, Sukhjeet Singh scored in the 10th minute in an attempt to reduce the deficit. However, Argentina’s Tomas Domene scored in the 33rd and 45th minutes to extend the lead to 4-1.
In the 53rd minute, Lucas Toscani scored Argentina’s fifth goal. India’s Sukhjeet Singh scored his second goal in the 58th minute, while Hardik Singh added another from a penalty stroke in the 59th minute. However, by then, it was too late.
The Netherlands had already qualified for the semifinals from Pool E, while India, having lost all three of its matches, will now play for seventh or eighth place.
It may be recalled that Pakistan’s hockey team has also been eliminated from the World Cup. However, Pakistan will now face South Africa for the 11th or 12th position.
Also Read: Pakistan stuns India in historic ACC election sweep, wins all three seats